


The Boy with Beautiful Hands

by qq_riri



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Haikyuu!! Rare Pair Exchange 2017, Implied Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, M/M, One-sided Yahaba Shigeru/Oikawa Tooru, Unrequited Love, Yahaba-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 15:45:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10029884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qq_riri/pseuds/qq_riri
Summary: When Yahaba saw that boy, he knew that he had to have the chance to play with him. He didn't find out his name until later. "Oikawa Tooru." The name tasted sweet on his tongue, but left a bitter after-taste.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [roseknight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseknight/gifts).



> Written for @chakani on tumblr, roseknight on AO3!! I hope you like this!  
> Beta-ed by @crackpairingprincess and @mr-refressshing on tumblr! (mr-refressshing is memesama on AO3, and crackpairingprincess goes by the same handle on AO3!) Any mistakes left are my own.

When Yahaba first saw Seijou play, he saw a pretty boy setting the ball to another with pink hair. His heart stuttered, and his mouth parted just a little. The beauty, the _grace_ with which the pretty boy sent the ball to his teammates... Yahaba had never seen anything more gorgeous. (That was when he decided to apply for Seijou, despite the hard work it would take to pass the entrance exams. Anything for the chance to see him in action, and to maybe even _learn_ from him.)

When he received the letter that told him he had been accepted, his mind immediately flashed to the gorgeous boy and his even more gorgeous hands. He let out a whoop, clenching his fist and raising it into the air. He grinned ecstatically, unable to wait until he started high school.

But first he had to improve his skills as a setter if he ever wanted to get onto first string. With his newfound goal in mind, Yahaba watched videos intently, studying how to set the ball just right. He practiced with his teammates with a previously unknown fervor. He ran longer and harder than before. Anything he thought would help, he did.

And before he knew it, there he was. At the gymnasium where _he_ was. He let out a shaky sigh and stepped in, trailing behind the other first-years who had come too.

The first thing he noticed was the intense gaze of the captain. He gulped nervously. The captain ordered the first-years to line up. They would be assessed before being placed in the appropriate place. He hoped to be in second-string. First-string was far too unattainable at the moment.

He was placed in second-string, along with one other first-year, Watari Shinji. He was a cheerful boy, talented. Yahaba smiled at his fellow first-year in an attempt to be friendly. Unsurprisingly, Watari grinned back and slapped his back.

“Hey, you’re a setter, right? Toss for me some time!” Now _that_ was unexpected. His eyes crinkled slightly as he nodded.

-

Yahaba, as one of the few setters in the second-string, was playing n a practice match against other mish mashed teams. His team consisted of boys he was largely unfamiliar with. He adjusted to his team soon enough and worked at tossing for them smoothly. It was...Well, it could have gone better.

After the practice matches were done and over with, Oikawa approached him. He looked up with an air of feigned nonchalance.

“May I help you with something, Oikawa-senpai?” He asked politely as he attempted to hold back his internal screaming.

“I just wanted to get a closer look at our newest setter!” Oikawa smiled. “You were a bit sloppy, but you were still better than anyone else in your string.”

Yahaba felt the slight resentment rolling off Oikawa in waves. His breath stuttered. He wanted to curl up and hide.

He shifted his feet, but stood his ground. “I do my best,” he agreed. As soon as the words left his lips, Yahaba clasped his hands over his mouth. He hoped the words hadn’t sounded rude.

To his surprise, Oikawa tossed his head back and laughed. “Keep working hard, okay? You have a lot of work to do if you want to be a starter.” His voice turned light. “See you!” He called over his shoulder.

Yahaba let out his breath. The older setter was truly admirable.

-

The Interhigh-Preliminaries were fast approaching, and Seijou’s volleyball team was hard at work; third-string, second-string, first-string, it didn’t matter at that moment. All that mattered was improving, honing their skill so that they could _crush_ the other teams.

Yahaba’s eyes flitted around the gym before finally settling on Oikawa. Oikawa’s body moved, his arms tossing a volleyball in the air before setting off at a run and leaping. His arm flew forward, serving the ball with a ferocity that seemed out of place with his cool demeanor. Yahaba let out a small sigh, admiring his upperclassman’s form.

“Hey, Oikawa! Toss for me!” Hanamaki shouted, waving at the senior setter.

Oikawa grinned, jogging over in response. Yahaba looked at his retreating form, at his fingers as they set the perfect ball for Hanamaki. He looked down at his own hands distastefully, and scrunched his nose. He returned to practice with a fervor after that. “Hey, Kunimi! Hit some of my tosses, would you? Unless you’re too tired,” he gibed.

The wing spiker frowned, but acquiesced to Yahaba’s demands. As Yahaba tossed to Kunimi, he took note of the normally lazy first-year’s habits. As they worked, Yahaba would regularly ask about Kunimi’s preferences, and Kunimi would reply. Occasionally, Kunimi would speak up on his own. Yahaba wondered about the first-year’s unusual drive, but came to the conclusion that Kunimi really _was_ bothered by the King of the Court after all. He snorted. _Well, there was nothing to it. He would just have to work twice as hard to keep up with the rest of the team._

-

The team won against Karasuno. No surprise, really. _No, really._ Oh, who was he kidding? The freak first-year duo had almost won them the match. And the seniors had been pillars for them. And their libero. Everything about them was admirable. Yahaba couldn’t have felt more proud of his team as they were announced the victors.

He was so envious of Oikawa’s skill. To bring out the potential of each spiker... He could only dream to accomplish such a thing. But then, he supposed, that’s why he had to work even harder to even compare to Oikawa. To not let him down as his successor.

-

They lost against Shiratorizawa. Again. Yahaba bit back tears and curses, inwardly swearing to defeat them. He glared at the rival setter, a second-year just like himself. _Damn, he’s good._ But he would overcome him. He had to. If the third-years couldn’t defeat Shiratorizawa, he would make sure that he would do it for them. His upperclassmen were the best volleyball players he had ever known and he was going to carry on their legacy _proudly._

He would beat Shirabu for Oikawa. He would beat them all.

-

Maybe he spoke too soon. The third-years weren’t retiring after the Interhigh.  _They would have one more chance._ Their last chance.

-

Kyoutani got put back into the starting line-up. Yahaba had to watch as Kunimi was substituted out. Kunimi, who was probably _glad_ he didn’t have to play anymore. Kunimi, who had worked so hard to be able to crush Karasuno. Kunimi, who was now clenching his fists and staring out at the court with a fierce sort of determination.

Then Kyoutani, _stupid Kyoutani,_ got pulled out. Kunimi’s look as he jogged to the court was sour, because he knew as well as Yahaba did that they were in trouble. So Yahaba had a few choice words with the angry newcomer, and forced Kyoutani’s head back into the game. Kunimi came back again, looking a little more content.

-

They lost. It was a hard fought match, but now the third-years were going to be gone and Yahaba was going to be the captain and he would have to take care of the team and this was Oikawa’s team and what if he screwed it all up and what if Yahaba was the one to lead Seijou to defeat after defeat after defeat?

-

Yahaba screwed up his face in an effort not to cry when he witnessed the third-years’ graduation. When Oikawa came by to say goodbye to his team, complete with reassurances that the great Oikawa would come visit lots, Yahaba’s chest twinged. He pushed the odd sensation to the back of his mind. And when Oikawa slung his arm over Yahaba’s shoulders and made him promise to call if he had any questions about being captain, well, his heart certainly didn’t speed up at all.

He came to the conclusion that he liked Oikawa. That wouldn’t be a problem, since Oikawa would be in university while Yahaba was still at Aoba Johsai. It wouldn’t affect him at all, so Yahaba tried to get over him. Still, he was the slightest bit disappointed that he didn’t get to confess. _And what,_ his mind laughed. _Get rejected because he’s so_ obviously _into Iwaizumi?_

He hushed that part of himself.

-

Yahaba’s captaincy of the new year started out smoothly, with a new promising crop of first-years and Kyoutani even coming to practice again. He polished his tosses, he encouraged his team _(his_ team, could you believe it?), and he did all his captainly duties so well even Oikawa would be proud. Or so he hoped. That was all Yahaba could do, so he kept at it, and tied his team together.

-

He looked back at them and smiled proudly, with an eerie likeness to Oikawa looking over his own team.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! Any feedback is appreciated.


End file.
